Beliefs von Studierenden sonder- und grundschulpädagogischer Studiengänge

The implementation of inclusion in schools currently requires new reflections of competence profiles of the teachers involved. Especially in elementary school, which can so far be considered as the most developed institution of inclusive schooling in Germany, questions of differences in the profiles of elementary and special education teachers have been raised. As professional skills also have motivational and volitional aspects, a beliefs model (domain overlapping) was developed based on the construction of the TEDS-M research project, which aims to study specific special educational beliefs. Using a quantitative questionnaire designed in the context of a corresponding preliminary investigation a three-factor-solution for mapping a special supportive belief profile among student teachers and teachers in the field of elementary and special education was tested. Initially this profile model was confirmed by the results of a subsequent analysis based on a nationwide sample of elementary school and special education students (N = 951). In addition to these findings different manifestations of the beliefs model could be identified among student teachers for elementary schools and student teachers for special education.     

Childhood sexual assault victims: long-term outcomes after testifying in criminal court

We report a longitudinal study of long-term outcomes of participating in criminal cases following child sexual abuse (CSA). In the 1980s, 218 child victim/witnesses took part in a study of short-term sequelae of legal involvement. Approximately 12 years later, 174 of them, as well as a comparison group of 41 matched individuals with no CSA history, were interviewed about their mental health and legal attitudes. Being young when the legal case started was associated with poorer later adjustment. Additionally, even when controlling for psychological problems at the start of the legal case and other familial, CSA, and life stressors, testifying repeatedly in childhood predicted poorer current functioning. These associations were often moderated by the severity of both the CSA and the perpetrator's sentence: Testifying repeatedly in cases involving severe abuse, and not testifying when the perpetrator received a light sentence, predicted poorer current mental health. In partial contrast to the mental health results, being older when the case began and the perpetrator receiving a lenient sentence predicted more negative feelings about the legal system. In addition, not having testified when the perpetrator received a light sentence predicted more negative legal attitudes. Individuals' emotional reactions while waiting to testify and while actually testifying were also associated with their current mental health and attitudes toward the legal system: Greater distress predicted poorer adjustment, especially in individuals who were adolescents when they went to court. Greater distress also predicted more negative attitudes. Finally, when the former CSA victim/witnesses were compared with individuals with no CSA history, the former reported poorer adjustment and more negative feelings about the legal system. Results have implications for multilevel-transactional models of development, for understanding developmental sequelae of legal involvement following childhood trauma, and for social policy concerning the treatment of child victim/witnesses.     

Effect of vitamin A supplementation on hematopoiesis in children with anemia

Fifty children (1–4 years age) presenting with microcytic hypochromic anemia (hemoglobin less than 10g/dl) were studied in two groups of 25 each. Group I was supplemented with iron (ferrous sulphate 6 mg/kg/d) while group II in addition to iron was also supplemented with vitamin A (5000 IU/d). Hemoglobin concentration was found to be significantly increased after 4 weeks of iron supplementation. Rise in hemoglobin was comparatively more in-group II, as compared to group I, after 8 and 12 weeks. Serum iron was significantly higher after 4 weeks in both the groups. Packed cell volume (PCV) and retinol levels increased significantly in-group II only. The data suggests that supplementation of vitamin A improves hematopoiesis.